Folding crate



Oct. 16, 1928. 1,688,253

A. w. WAGONER FOLDING CRATE Filed May 20, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 W 6 INVENTOR.

Oct. 16, 1928. 1,688,253

A. w. WAGONER FOLDING CRATE Filed May 20, 192'! s Sheets-Sfieet 2 70 INVENTOR. 6 v A (f2. 2% Z/ayaxam Oct. 16, 1928. 1,688,253

A. w. WAGONER I NVENTOR.

- characters" indicate Patented Get. 16, 1928.

UNITED STATES ALONZO iwpwAGONER, F HAMMONVILLE, KENTUCKY.

FOLDING CRATE Application filed May 20,

This invention relates to improvements in folding crates, and hasmore particular reference to that type of crate commonly employed for shipping fowl or the like. i

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved folding crate of the above kind which is simple and durablein" construction and capable-of beingreadily unfolded and set up for use, or folded or collapsed for return to the shipper.

A more specific object isto provide a folding crate of that type embodying a bottom wall and inwardly folding side and end walls hinged to the bottom wall for swinging upon horizontal axes, a removable top wall, and simple and efficient means for.retaining the side and end walls in unfoldedpositionswith the top wall effectively held in place.

A more specific object is to provide a fold" ing crate of the above kind in which the walls will be firmly held in proper relation when the crate is unfolded and set up for use, thereby preventing any material relative movementof the walls and minimizing liability of weakening or damaging the crate from repeated re-user y A still further object is to provide simple and efiicient means for attaching the side and end walls to the bottom wall a'ndmounting them for the required vertical swinging movement upon horizontal axes.

Other objects will become apparentas the nature of the invention is better understood,

and the same consists in the novel form, com-.

bination and arrangement of parts hereinafter inoiefully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed. 7

In the drawings, wherein like reference corresponding parts throughout the several'views,

Figure 1 is a side elevational'view of a folding crate constructed in accordance with the present invention, and in unfolded condition as setupfor use; s

FigureEZ is a horizontal section taken upon line 2-2 of Figure 1; i Figure 3 is a transverse section on line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a s de elevational view of the.

crate collapsed; i I I Figure 5 an end View of thecrate collapsed;

Figure 6 is a section on line 6.6 of Figure 4; I p v Figure 7 isa top plan View of the, crate in llS set up condition as shown lIl FlgllItQgl;

192?. Serial No. 192,950

' Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section on line 88 of Figure l; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary vertical section on line 9- -9 of Figure8. V i Referring more in detail to the drawings, the bottom-wall of the crate preferably comprises a rectangular rigid frame 5 nailed or otherwisepermanently secured upon the margin of a rectangular bottom panel'preferably composed ofa plurality of thin transverse boards 6 arranged in edge to edge contiguous relation as indicated in'Figures 2 and 3. The side and end walls of the crate are substan tially of the same general construction, and each includes a rectangular frame of proper size and embodying top and bottom rails 7 and 8, respectively, rigidly connected at their ends by end railst), and at intervals between the end rails by upright. cylindrical rods or rungs 10 The top and end rails of the frame of the side and end walls are preferably of rectangular cross-section, while the lower rails 8 thereof are of cylindrical form and journaled in pairs of alined cylindrical bearing sleeves 11 whereby the side and end walls may be swung lnwardly and downwardly to horizontal folded position, or upwardly and outwardly to vertical position as respectively indicated best in Figures 3 and 6.

Disposed in spaced parallel relation to and above theend rails of the bottom frame 5,lare

supporting bars 12 which are rigidly fastened to said end rails of the frame 5 by means'of bolts 13 passing through these parts, suitable spacing sleeves 14 being placed upon the bolts 13 between the supporting bars 12 and g the end rails of the bottom frame 5 for'maintaining'the supporting bars 12 in the proper spaced relation to the end rails of the frame 5 as shown. The bearing sleevesill are provided with rigid depending boltsjor threaded it stems 15, and these bolt stems of thebearing sleeves dl for the side walls extend downwardly through the-side rails of the bottom frame 5 and are, firmly heldthereto vby nuts appliedtosaid stems, as shown. In a like manner. the bearing sleeves v11' forlthe end I walls have their threadedbolt stems passed through the supporting bars 12 and secured therein by means of nuts applied to the stems a of said bearing sleeves. ln this wayfventilation is allowed "between the bottom Wall and thesupporting bars 12, while the bearing sleevesll for the endwalls are mounted at a higher elevation than those for the side walls;

Thus, the side wallsmay be swung inwardly onto the bottom substantially horizontal positions as shown in Figure 6, whereupon the end walls may be similarly folded inwardly onto the end portions of the side walls to also assume horizontal positions in a manner which is generally well known in the art.

It will be noted that the side walls are of such length that the end rails 9 thereof will flatly abut-the adjacent inner sides of the end rails of the end walls when S llClSHlG and end walls are in vertical operative position (as 1 shown in Figure 2 and means is provid d to clamp each end rail 9, "of the. frames of the end wallsto the adjacent end rail-9 of the frames of the side walls, whereby the several walls will be firmly held against relative movementand prevented from swinging inwardly to'fol'ded or collapsed position. As shown' eacli clamping means consists of ,a plate 16 pivoted at 17 to the inner side of the. associated end rail 9 of the end wall frame and positionable to extend inwardly in; engagement with the, ad acent. inner side of the adjacent end rail 9. of the adjacent side wall so as tof hold the latter against swinging nwardly.tofolded position, a

keeper loop 18 being hinged to the inner free end of the plate 16 for being swung outwardly against the adjacent innersideof said end rail 9 of theside wall for reception of and frictional engagement with'a projectingvend tongue. 19 upon the free end of a hinged hasp 20 pivoted upon the outer side of the adjacent end rail?) of the end wall and positionable to extendinw ardly. across the outer face of the adjacent end rail 9 of the side wall as shown in Figure 2. A. lateral outwardly projecting keepe'rpin 21 is provided on the said end rail of theside wall for engagement by the keeper 20. when it is positioned to have its tongue 19 engau 'ed bythe keeper loop 18. In this way, the adjacent ends of the sideand end walls are firmly held together when in set up or vertical position. although disconnection of the same may be readily effected by simply swingina 'the keeper loop 18 inwardly out of engagement with the extension 19 andthen swinging the hasp 20- upwardly out of' engageinent withthe keeper pin21. It will be noted that the ,plate 16 is pivoted to the endrail .9 ofthe associated end wall; to swingin a plane parallel with the latterso that said plate and the keeper loop .18 carried thereby may be swung downwardly alongside said end rail of the end wallandjoutof theipath of the side wall for permitting thelatt er to beswung inward ly to collapsed position. c

. 7 It will benoted that when the side and end walls areoperativelyfldisposedin a vertical position, the top rails 7 of the end walls will be located above the top rails of the side walls .as shown in Figure 1. It will be further noted that the menus? ofthe end'walls are reduced in thickness at their inner sides to expose inner portions of the upper ends of the end rails 9 of theend walls as indicated at 22. A top wall is provided including a rectangular frame 23 arranged to seat upon the upper edges of the top rails 7 of the side walls and upon the exposed upper end portions 22 of the end rails of the end walls when the'sid'eand end walls are'vertically disposed as shown in Figure 1. Theend rails "of the top wall frame 23 are provided with sockets 23 Which open through the outer sides thereof and are adapted for removable receptionof inwardly projecting dowel pins 2 L rigid with and projecting inwardly from the top rails 7 of the end walls, whereby the top wall is elfectively-retained in place when the end-walls are clamped against the ends thereof and against the ends of the'side walls as described above.

In foldingthe crate. the keeper loops 18 are swung inwardly out of engagement with the tongues19 ofthe hasps 20, and then the plates16 are swungdownwardly out ofthe way to permit theside wallsto be foldedinwardly and downwardly to the horizontal po- I have been previously swung inwardly to the,

horizontal position of Figure 6. and then the top wall is placed upon'the endwalls as shown in Figure 4-. Lateral headed keeper pins 25 are provided at proper points on. the side rails of'the top wall frame 23 for being en aged Hil by thehasps2O of theend walls when'the de vice is collapsed and the top wall-is positioned upon the end walls as mentioned above. whereby the top wall-is effectively held to the collapsedbodv. with the latter retained in its collapsed position. as shown in Figure 4'.

' In view ofthe' above. it will beseeu that the crate may be folded into compact form and readilv retained in such condition without the use of additional fastening means; although just as effectively. In unfolding the crate an d setting it up in condition for use. the ha sps 20 are disensza Qedfrom thekee'perj-pins 25 and.

the top wall-isthen removed. lhe ,endwalls are then swung upwardlyrandout-wa past a vertical positionand the sidewallsare there- Iafter swung upwardly and outwardly to'vertical position. The top "wall is then placed upon-the upper edge of the side walls'and the end, walls are brought together so as to cause dowel pins 24-. to enter the sockets in the end railsof the'top wall frame 23. {The clamping devices at the corners of the crate are then operatively disposed with the keeper loops 18 engaging the tongues 19' of the hasps 20 as shown in Figures 1 and 2 and explained above, whereupon the end walls are held against sepa *ation for maintaining the top wall in place upon the side walls, and the side walls The top wall is of generally well known construction meludmg a pair of spaced parallel longitudinal intermediate rails'26 and transverse cylindrical bars or rungs 2. rigidly connecting the side rails of the top frame 23 and extending through the intermediate rails 26. Certain of the rungs 27 have their interv mediate portions removed betweenthe intermediate frame bars 26 to provide an opening through which the chickens or the like may be placed into or removed from the crate, and ar ranged to close this openin is a hinged closure consisting of a pair or spaced parallel bars 28 rigidly connected at intervals by of a helical compression springSO encircling the rung upon which the closure is hinged between one of the intermediate rails 26 and the adjacent bar 28 of the closure. Rigidly ment of the closure.

carried by the other bar 28 of the closure near the free end of the latter is an angular'latch plate 31 having lateral outwardly projecting end adapted to beneath the other adjacent bar 26 when the closure is in its closed position and urged laterally by the spring 30. By shifting the closure bodily against the action of the spring 80, the catch plate 31 will be disengaged from beneath the associated rail 26 so that said closure may be swung upwardlyto open position. lhe closure is swung downwardly to partly closed position and then shifted laterally against the action of the spring 30 so as to remove the projecting end of the catch plate 31 frointhe path of the adjacent rail 26 and permit full closing move-' By then releasing thev closure the spring 30 will shift it laterally to engage the projecting end of the latch plate 81 beneath the adyacent rail 26, whereupon the closure is effectively retained in closed position. i

The ends of the top and bottom rails 7 and 8 are preferably bolted togetherby means of bolts'32 extending through the end rails 9 so as to provide a strong construction.

From the foregoing description it Wlll be seen that I have provided a very simple and durable form of knock-clown folding shipping crate especially suitablefor the shipping of, chickens and the like. It will furthe be seen that the construction may be manufactured so as to be of extremely light weight without sacrificing durability. Still further, the various walls are firmly held together in proper relation and assembled condition when the'crate is unfolded and set up for use, so that accidental collapsing or .material relative movement between the walls is absolutely prevented without the use of expensive or complicated fastening'devices.

Minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is l 1. In a folding crate, a bottom wall, end and side walls respectively hinged to the bottom wall upon horizontal pivots disposed in different horizontal planes, said end and side walls embodying rectangular frames having end rails, and means to snugly embrace adjacont end rails at the corners of the crate to releasably clamp the same together and hold the end and side walls in unfolded vertical position, eachof said end rail clamping means embodying a plate and a hasp pivoted on opposite sides of an end rail of one wall and a swinging keeper loop engageable across the inner side of the adjacent end rail of the adjacent wall and hinged to the pivoted plate, said hasp having an extension tongue releasably engageablc by said keeper loop.

In a folding crate, a bottom wall, end and side walls respectively hinged to the bot tom wall upon horizontal pivots disposed in different horizontal planes. said end and side walls embodying rectangular frames having end rails, means to snugly embrace adjacent end rails at the corners of the crate to releasably clamp the same together and hold the end and side walls in unfolded vertical position, each of said end rail clamping means embodying a plate and a hasp pivoted on opposite sides of an end rail of one wall and a swinging keeper loop engageable across the inner side hasps for respectively connecting adjacent end rails when the crate is set up and connecting the top' wall to the end walls when the crate is collapsed.

In testimony whereof I aihi; my signature ALONZO W. lVA-GONER, 

